We have a 99' Accord LX (4 cyl.). 145,000 miles. My wife was driving home and it had been running fine when it began running really rough (surges) with no acceleration so she pulled over. I went to check it out and it starts fine. It even idles well and runs, but it's really rough, almost misfiring. No clunks, backfires, popping, etc. I'm guessing something with electrical or fuel delivery, but I just can't pin it down.

Has anyone had this problem or have an idea? I'm moving to Texas in two days and need to figure this out asap!!

Thanks,

Rivers

 

It's ignition related. Check the plugs for fouling and to see if they are made by Bosch. If so, you probably need a new coil. Check the wires for arcing at night. If the plugs and wires are good, pull a plug out of the engine and lay it on the block for ground. Have your wife crank the engine and look at the spark. You need the plug hooked up for the on a Honda; grounding the wire can blow out a good coil. The spark should be a bluish white color. If it's pink, yellow or dim, you need a new coil, distributor cap and rotor. The dizzy cap and rotor are rarely the cause, but they can be ..... but if you change the coil, you just do the cheap parts that go with it. The plugs should only be made by NGK or Denso.

 

Awesome. Thanks.

 

No problem .... good luck!!!

 

It turns out the tune up I did several months ago, somehow went bad. I'm having to replace the plugs, wires, cap, etc... Why would it have gone bad? I've heard the Accords don't like Bosch and I think my wires were bosch, maybe the plugs too. Anyways, that's the verdict.

 

Bosch plugs kill Honda coils ..... if the wires, cap and rotor are new, I think they should be ok. The wires don't really matter as far as killing the coil, but OEM are the best. Bosch plugs don't have the right electrical resistance for Honda coils. NGK double platinum are the best.